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View Full Version : Going back n' forth between parks?



mask41
02-03-2007, 07:07 PM
How efficient, or innefficient, is to travel between the parks? The reason I ask is that we arrive, via amtrak, in Fullerton at 6:30 am after a 14 hour train ride. We are assuming we will not sleep very well on the train and will be tired the first day. So, I thought maybe we should knock out DCA our first day,make it a short day, and spend days 2, 3, & 4 insided DL. But, not knowing if that plan makes sense or not, and I am now thinking that we will not be able to resist DL that first day - what if we wanted to do DCA but also a little bit at DL - does it waste a lot of time going back n' forth between parks during the day, should you stay at one park for a whole day?
Thanks for any help for a newbie!!!
-Amy

emmah
02-03-2007, 07:24 PM
Hi there, it takes 5 minutes to get out of DL and into DCA (unless you're there on a busy day when there are queues). I frequently trip between the parks to spend a few hours at DCA. I have never spent a whole day at DCA but its very easy to spend a few hours there every other day at DL. enjoy!!

tunaman68
02-03-2007, 07:27 PM
Unless you are going from the very back of one park, to the very back of the other park, it is a very reasonable walk.

As the prevoius poster mentioned, the only hitch is when there is a big line to get into DL.

We park hop all the time. DCA has a few good rides, and some decent food - plus it's a nice break from DL if it's crowded.

Have Fun!

Wendi
02-03-2007, 08:53 PM
I hop back and forth as often as the mood strikes. It is very quick except at certain times... such as DCA closing time when there are usually quite long lines to get into DL.

raediance
02-03-2007, 09:11 PM
Sometimes the weather's cold, so we don't want to ride Grizzly River Run, so we go back to DL. Then when the weather gets warmer we go back to CA. It's never been much of an inconvenience, since we are set on getting to the ride we want to go on. =] The one time I notice that it's hard to get back to DL is just as Wendi said, around CA's closing time.

Bytebear
02-03-2007, 09:13 PM
I hate going back and forth between the parks. I am not an early riser, so I usually start my day at DCA (if I go there at all) and then after I hit the big 4 (Tower of Terror, Soarin', Screamin' and Grizzly River Run), I head to Disneyland. I go often and usually with a diverse group of people, and the worse thing is when we get a fastpass for Indy that takes effect in 20 minutes, and someone in the group says "let's go on Soarin'". Ugh!!!

Then you get that temptation to collect fastpasses in one park and head to the other with the intention of going back later. Well, let's just say I have about 10 Sreamin' fastpasses in my wallet right now.

Plan your day, and don't get a whim to check out the other park unless you plan on spending a good chunk of time there. Save your feet!

For the plan you describe, you should be fine going to DCA, and get your fill, then head to Disneyland. Disneyland stays open an hour or two later than DCA anyway, and if you have a parkhopper, you should at least go to check it out. DCA isn't an all day park and you will find you will be done with it sooner than you think.

kimi911
02-03-2007, 09:26 PM
When I visit, I go back and forth all day long! :) ha-ha. I use it like one park.

raediance
02-03-2007, 09:28 PM
When I visit, I go back and forth all day long! :) ha-ha. I use it like one park.
lol me too! there's just this big space in the middle for running around. that's how i look at it. x)

SarahJanet
02-03-2007, 09:52 PM
Then you get that temptation to collect fastpasses in one park and head to the other with the intention of going back later

Man, that's my favourite way to do things! We go to DL first, get a FP, ride several rides, get another fast pass, ride a few more rides, then when the lines get long, grab one more fast pass on the way out and hit CA. There, we get a FP, go on several rides, get another FP, go on a few more rides, get one more FP, and head back to Disneyland to use our fast passes there. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I'd WAY rather spend an extra ten minutes walking than an extra two hours in line! But then, we go at busy times, so it's definitely worth it.

kimc0486
02-04-2007, 12:36 AM
I go back and forth prob everyday that I am in the parks. Get to DL first thing, get on Space, Splash etc.. and get FP for those as well, and once your FPs are collected, go over to DCA and do what you want, and go back to DL once the afternoon crowds have subsided. Pretty much what everyone else said, but it is a good plan to go back and forth and very easy!

Mr.Abominable
02-04-2007, 01:05 AM
We usually go back and forth several times a day for beers and an occasional spicy corndog from the Castle. LOL, that is what we like to do, hmm, maybe I should post this in the alcohol in WDW thread! :)

backsthepack
02-04-2007, 04:56 AM
We go back and forth quite a bit. We have a 7 year old that likes to do a lot of walking around (sometimes we walk for hours before we even ride a ride). But he likes DCA much more than we do, so we do spend quite a bit of time over there. For us it isn't really a bother.

rentayenta
02-04-2007, 05:53 AM
We are not big park hoppers. We will hop once, maybe twice, in a day at most. I am a thorough planner so we don't really need to. My kids have accepted my need to plan. :geek:

IdahoMike
02-04-2007, 06:44 AM
A lot of times we will hit DL first thing in the morning, knock out Fantasyland or Tomorrowland, pick up a FP or two for later, and then hop over to DCA before 11:30 to use our character photo op that comes with the Disney VISA. Might as well get as many free photos as we can, we can send them off to various family members. We'll then spend 2-3 hrs in DCA, hitting the biggies, then go to the hotel for a rest until 4 or 5, and spend the rest of the night in DL

Bolivar
02-04-2007, 09:53 AM
There is only one park at DL made up of several lands: Tommorowland, Adventureland, Fantasyland.... and California Adventureland. I don't do Adventureland on one day, then Tommorowland another day, etc. I go back and forth between them all day long and that includes California Adventureland.

That's the way I see it anyway.

yohomama212
02-04-2007, 10:45 AM
When it's just me and the kids, I tend to hop more than if it's the whole family (me, DH, kids, and my mom). DH and mom aren't big fans of DCA, so I usually take the kids for the shows and to see the Cars. Two Fridays ago I took the kids to the parks and planned out an entire day with no rides and just shows. We even did the Golden Horseshoe for lunch just to see Billy Hill and the Hillbillies! We started in DL then hopped over to DCA for Aladdin and Playhouse Disney then back to DL for more! Having APs makes things easier as you don't have to stop for the handstamp and I can just roll the stroller right through the gate! Hopping can be well worth your time if you plan it right! I'm with Renta... my family has gotten used to my need to plan!

Liz :cool:

Pat-n-Eil
02-05-2007, 07:20 AM
I really like California Adventure, so I tend to hit it every day. If I'm staying at the Grand Californian, it is a no brainer. Do the early entry, get the first ride of the day on Soarin' before the general admission crowd.. good times.

If I want an early day, we'll start with breakfast at someplace like Rainforest Cafe or on a special day an early Goofy's Kitchen and then to Disneyland on the monorail. Once we've gone through all of the rides and attractions that we like most, we'll usually head over to DCA for some less crowded relaxation. Screamin, Aladdin, ToT and GRR if it is hot. I wouldn't dream of not having a parkhopper and doing both sides. I prefer the food at DCA too.. Wine Country Trattoria is good, the Tortilla Factory, maybe a drink at Ritas Margaritas.. It's all good.

hbquikcomjamesl
02-05-2007, 12:57 PM
One Independence Day trip, I think I made over half a dozen park-hops. As I recall, I went into DL, booked myself on a Walt's Footsteps tour, got breakfast, hopped over to DCA, checked out the line for Soarin', saw that a Fastpass wouldn't ripen until my tour was over anyway, so I got the FP and returned to DL just in time to join my tour group. This was before the tour included lunch, so I hopped back to DCA, did Soarin', and had lunch at the Soap Opera Bistro . . . as I recall, there was also a hop into DCA for the Electrical Parade, then a hop back to DL for the fireworks.

charpaul
02-05-2007, 02:28 PM
Park hopping can be extremely easy to do. The questions is – is it the kind of thing YOU want to do.

When I am with a small group of friends, we will send a runner to the “other park” to get fast passes for an attraction that we plan on going to later in the day. We can then enjoy whatever park we are currently in and still have something waiting for us at the other park. This works best on a busy day.

If attendance is light – than you might not need to get the fast passes. You will be able to go over to DCA and just walk on whatever attractions you want.

The key is to plan your day(s) and make the appropriate decision about how you want to spend your time. I think going to DCA on your first day and trying out the park might be a good idea. You can then take occasional trips BACK there during your stay to see the things you want to experience again or might have overlooked on the first visit.

Also remember – Grizzly is still on it’s own fast pass system…. You can have a pass for Grizzly AND something else in DCA at the same time!!!!

MadasaHatter
02-05-2007, 10:56 PM
It sounds like to me that it is a no brainer for you....if you are tired the first day HIT DISNEYLAND!!!!! You are going to be there for four days so you might as well go to the park you want to first and enjoy that park first. The next day you should hit DLAND early and get some fast passes and then go over to CA ADVENTURE. I really like that park and if you have never been, spending a day there would be very fun and then you can head back to DL when you are done....if you are there on a slow day like this time of year you can do ALL of the rides in DCA in about four hours. I agree with the rest of the gang to not stay until it closes to avoid the long line back to DL. The food tastes better in DCA because you can get wine and beer and margaritas. Yum.

Cheers

mask41
02-06-2007, 04:43 AM
Thanks for everyone's replies!! Now that I know Aladdin does not show until Wednesday I think we will do DL on Mon, Tues, DCA on Wednesday, and DL again on Thurs and Friday. With my mother who is very out of shape and two 5 year olds, I think the less park hopping, the better. My dh and I are lucky in that we will have each evening to go out while my mom and boys stay at the hotel and rest up for the next day;) . We don't get many vacations so dh and I are ready to rally and make the most of it!!
Thanks again,
Amy